There exists faith, hope and love. The greatest of these is love, but the least written and talked about is hope. This page is about hope which is necessary for our Christian life. Without it we will give up and turn away from Christ when sorrows and problems come our way.
Faith, hope and love work together. They cannot be separated.

LOVE
Jesus loves me therefore I love Him, and because I love Him I am obedient to Him. If I do not have love I am nothing and all the good works I perform will not please God. Only those good works that I do through love are pleasing to God.
My actions reveal how much love I have. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres and never fails. The reason my love will not fail is because of my hope which is based on Christ being near me and causing all things to come out right.
If I have faith, hope and love working together I can love my enemies, bless those who curse me, and do good to those who persecute me. Then my joy is so great that it cannot be expressed in words.

FAITH
Without faith I cannot please God, for faith in Christ is being sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see. Through faith I know that God exists and that He will reward me as I earnestly seek Him.
God allows problems in my life to test my faith. Therefore, I consider it pure joy when I face many trials because I know that the test of my faith develops perseverance. And perseverance develops character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint me. So, with an active faith, hope and love I can meet the storms and sorrows of life and be victorious over the cares of this world.

HOPE
Hope is that expectation of the return of Jesus to set up His kingdom and put things right. With hope I can meet the problems of today for I know that tomorrow will be glory with Jesus. Therefore, hope makes it possible for me to rejoice in my sufferings.
When my life rests on a foundation of faith, hope, and love I am able to give thanks to God and praise Him regardless of what happens. For I know that all things will work together for my good as God uses me to bring honor and glory to His name. "Yahweh is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in him, and I am helped.Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank him." Psalm 28:7

For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? But if we hope for that which we don't see, we wait for it with patience.Romans 8:24,25

Words and Music by
Edmund Simon Lorenz, 1876
Translated from German to English
by Jeremiah Eames Rankin, 1880

Are you weary, are you heavy hearted?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you grieving over joys departed?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a friend that's well known.
You've no other such a friend or brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Have you sins that to men's eyes are hidden?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a friend that's well known.
You've no other such a friend or brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a friend that's well known.
You've no other such a friend or brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Are you troubled at the thought of dying?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
For Christ's coming kingdom are you sighing?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a friend that's well known.
You've no other such a friend or brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Jesus is coming again. It will be at a unexpected time therefore, we must be prepared beforehand. The world was not ready at His first coming and did not recognize Him. It is of even greater importance to be ready for His coming again. Let's look at the contrast between His first coming and second coming, and see why we must be ready.

He came as a Baby in weakness, in meekness, and in obscurity.
He will come the next time in power and glory to assert His will over all the earth.

Very few bowed before Him at His first coming.
When He comes again all knees shall bow at His feet in humble worship.

At His first coming the door of the inn was shut in His face.
For His second coming we read of a door opened in heaven out of which He rides as King of kings and Lord of lords.

His coming was shrouded in secret. Very few knew of His arrival.
But when He returns everyone will know. Every eye will see Him and recognize Him as the one they pierced and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him.

He came to suffer for the sins of the world. He was mistreated, humiliated, and rejected.
He will return as Judge to pass judgment on all those who rejected Him.

He came in great humility as a servant.
He will return as the Commander in Chief of a very large army.

He came the first time to wear the crown of thorns.
He is coming the second time to wear the crown of power and glory.

He came to set up His assembly which includes both sheep and goats, the good and bad.
At His return He will separate the sheep from the goats and not allow any that are false to enter His kingdom.

When Jesus came the first time it was to settle the problem of sin. He did not come to settle the problems of government nor the social dilemmas that harass our world.
When He comes again He will solve all government problems, and political and social ills.

He came the first time to make peace between God and man.
He will return to make war on those who do not know God.

He came the first time to be God's representative of love and grace.
He is returning as God's representative against a rebellious world.

He came as our Savior.
He will return as our Sovereign.

Jesus is coming again. As we look at the contrast between His first and second comings we should fall on our knees in repentance and cry out for mercy and forgiveness.

"If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 WEB

We can be very thankful for the mercies of God. He has not punished us or our nation according to the greatness of our sins. So let us be faithful to our Lord and King. Let us rejoice and look forward to His return, expecting Him at any time.

"Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment, so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him for salvation." Hebrews 9:27,28 WEB

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8 WEB)

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus' name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

Let everyone try and find that as a result of daily prayer he adds something new to his life, something with which nothing can be compared.
- Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) Preeminent leader of Indian nationalism.

There are thoughts which are prayers. There are moments when, whatever the posture of the body, the soul is on its knees.
- Victor Hugo (1802-1885) French poet, dramatist and novelist.

Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.
- Phillips Brooks (1835-1893) American Episcopal clergyman.